Should we be reporting people who are obviously using Answers to get their homework done?

Interesting question, as a retired Instructor, I recently stated that I didn't do homework for anyone and was reported. Guess they hated giving me 2 lousy points, or the truth was more that they could stand. Now although I have received the do you want to re-butt this notice, the link doesn't work so I cannot re-butt anything.

I do not see the "moderators" doing much once an answer is reported. Also I have a problem with people asking for someone to do their home work in other categories other than the HOME WORK one.

I totally agree with you about who should be penalized, but that is the way this site is set up and the people who are suppose to be looking at things apparently are not. so report or don't I don't think it matters much one way or the other.

One problem is, you cannot know for sure what is a homework question or not (although it does seem obvious when they copy and paste their whole assignment). Besides, it is not against the rules, at least not the rules of Y!A. Plagiarism on Y!A is considered to be when one copies another user's answer.

However, as you have found, it is against the rules to answer with something like "Do your own homework" or "Wrong category", because you are making no attempt to answer their question. So if somebody is breaking the rules, it's best to report and move on, and not answer.

But again, I would not advise reporting homework questions, they are not violations per se. Even if they copy and paste several math or multiple-choice questions, it's allowed. (They aren't likely to get good answers anyway.) If somebody asks "Please write me an essay", that IS a violation for solicitation which you could report, as it is not asking for knowledge but rather for something to be done for them.

(edit) Posting a whole page of questions is a gray area, they could very well win their appeal if you report them and get it deleted, as there is no set standard saying when the line between solicitation and seeking knowledge is crossed. If you want to be a trusted reporter, you should only report 100% for-sure violations.

Yes, you can report them, but though I don't exactly believe in "karma", when these people are adults and literally don't know a thing (except maybe how to tie their shoes and use the toilet) because they cheated their way through school (and teachers know now), that's comeuppance enough.

I too get a hoot out of "people" (almost always teenage girls who create their account on the day before their homework is due), but I mostly ignore them, unless it's REALLY help (as in "these are my answers - am I correct?" or "here's the essay I wrote - do you have any pointers?") and not "asking people to do their homework for them".

What consist of a violation is decided by YA, not you or I. They have posted the guidelines for everyone to read, I fail to see personal dislike of a category as a violation.

There is a section of YA that is for the sole purpose of finding answers to homework. The homework Q & A can be found under the Education & Reference category.

So if YA has a section for finding the answers to homework, why would asking for home work answers be a violation of YA guidelines?

I find it staggering that there is a "homework help" section on this website. And it's still being abused, even after the revamp.

How lazy do you have to be?

I think that if you think a question is inappropriate in any way, you should just report it, not answer. A snide remark just comes off as spiteful. I'm assuming your being sarcastic and mean. Why waste your time with all that? Just report the question.

I simply tell them I wont do their homework.. but I usually add a link to site with more information for them - helping them but not doing it for them.